As antisemitism surges across the United States, Jewish students—along with the faculty and administrators tasked with their education—are grappling with increasingly complex and hostile academic environments. The American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report highlights a troubling rise in antisemitic incidents on college campuses, underscoring the urgent need for action. In response, AJC’s Center for Education Advocacy (CEA) is stepping up, offering unwavering support to Jewish students and guiding universities toward safer, more inclusive policies.
Standing with Jewish Students
The CEA is a lifeline for Jewish students navigating these challenging spaces. By providing essential tools and resources, it empowers them to succeed in learning environments that prioritize safety and inclusivity. Whether facing overt discrimination or subtle biases, students can rely on the CEA’s commitment to stand by them every step of the way. This support is critical as antisemitism continues to erode the sense of belonging for many Jewish students on campus.
Guiding Universities Toward Change
Beyond direct student support, the CEA serves as a trusted advisor to the nation’s top universities. It works closely with administrators to craft policies that address key issues: managing campus protests, ensuring Jewish students’ safety, and fostering climates of open inquiry and multi-perspective debate. These efforts aim to transform educational institutions into spaces where diverse viewpoints can thrive without fear of harassment or exclusion. By tackling everything from biased curricula to inadequate safety measures, the CEA is driving meaningful change.
A Vision for Education Under New Leadership
As the Trump administration begins to shape its education policy, AJC is seizing the opportunity to influence the future of American classrooms. The organization is dedicated to ensuring that antisemitism is never normalized and that schools remain bastions of critical thinking and viewpoint diversity—values AJC sees as foundational to a healthy democracy. This mission takes on added significance in today’s polarized climate, where Jewish students often find themselves caught in broader political tensions.
Why It Matters
The fight against antisemitism in education is about more than protecting one community; it’s about safeguarding the principles that underpin academic freedom and democratic society. By rejecting hate and promoting tolerance, AJC’s advocacy not only supports Jewish students but also strengthens the educational experience for all. As the CEA continues its work, it offers a hopeful path forward—one where campuses are places of learning, not division.
Here are the latest highlights from CEA:
American Historical Association (AHA): AHA, the leading professional organization for historians, passed a resolution accusing Israel of “scholasticide,” which falsely accused the Israeli military of deliberately targeting educational infrastructure. AJC responded by sending this letter, in partnership with the Academic Engagement Network, calling on the AHA Council to veto this dangerous resolution. On January 17, the AHA Council notified AJC that they vetoed the resolution, and conveyed their thanks for adding our voice in this important conversation.Briefing for 80 University Administrators: AJC’s Center for Education Advocacy, along with AJC CEO Ted Deutch and American Council on Education (ACE) president Ted Mitchell, convened an invitation-only briefing for over 80 university administrators to address the experiences of Jewish college students over the past year. We presented data from AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report and shared concrete action steps that universities can take to ensure campuses are safe for Jewish students.Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC): In a program for healthcare professionals at Columbia, I shared AJC’s antisemitism report findings and ways the healthcare sector can be more inclusive of Jewish practitioners and patients alike.Loyola University Chicago: Dr. Sara Coodin, AJC Director of Academic Affairs, joined AJC Chicago Director Sarah van Loon to present to more than 60 members of Loyola University Chicago’s Division of Student Development.University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School: Dr. Coodin presented at Wharton on the foundations of anti-Jewish tropes about Jews, money, and power, a critically important lens for business school leaders to consider.University of Texas System: I joined AJC Dallas Director Joel Schwitzer to meet with the Chancellor of the University of Texas System and their senior management team about the university’s strategies to foster a campus culture that is resilient against antisemitism.University System of Maryland: Dr. Coodin and Dr. Dan Rosenthal, AJC Assistant Director of Academic Affairs, joined AJC Washington, D.C. Director Alan Ronkin to meet with the Chancellor of the University System of Maryland and State Senator Cheryl Kagan to discuss the findings from our antisemitism report and the urgency of addressing campus antisemitism. Senator Kagan publicly thanked AJC from the State Senate floor for our work countering antisemitism.
This semester, our K-12 team has been busy running educational workshops, speaking with heads of school, and publishing new guidelines, in our efforts to ensure Jewish inclusion in elementary, middle, and high school education.
Following anti-Zionist rhetoric at the NAIS People of Color Conference last December, I presented at the National Association of Independent Schools’ (NAIS) Thrive conference as part of our ongoing relationship with NAIS. Our productive conversations with NAIS leadership led to AJC’s creation of specialized guidance for K-12 independent school administrators to address the conference’s impact on their communities. CEA also presented to the Association of Independent Maryland and D.C. Schools (AIMS) and held a summit for Washington, D.C.-area parents and key school administrators entitled, “Navigating Strategies to Combat Antisemitism in K-12 Schools.” Additionally, we ran a number of workshops for Jewish middle and high school students and their parents throughout the New York area. CEA published two new critical guides for K-12 schools to Ensure the Jewish Experience is Included Across the Curriculum and for Selecting Guest Speakers, to help foster Jewish inclusion and emphasize how a focus on civic education, not only prevents antisemitism, but also buttresses our democracy. These guides are being shared widely throughout the country with school administrators in independent and public schools. CEA also worked with AJC New England in our ongoing efforts to evaluate biased Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) teaching materials. This new report builds on AJC New England’s earlier review from December 2024, which found that some teaching resources were imposing one-sided viewpoints on Israel and Jews on students. CEA continues to advocate for balanced teaching materials that are age-appropriate and help students understand the issues our society faces without creating division.
“I feel so empowered by this experience and can’t wait to take what I’ve learned into the next chapter of my life on college campuses.” – Rachel Mintz, LFT Student, High School Senior, Sarasota, FL
In February, AJC’s Campus Global Board (CGB) members traveled from six continents to be together in Lisbon for an immersive educational experience focused on global Jewish advocacy.
“This experience was especially meaningful to me as a Sephardi Jew, whose family history is directly tied to the legacy of the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions. Walking through Lisbon’s Jewish quarter, celebrating Shabbat with the local community, and witnessing the resilience of Sephardic Jewry was a powerful reminder of our enduring history and the importance of Jewish political advocacy today.” – Erin Dodo, University of Cape Town, 2025
CEA’s Campus Affairs team has ramped up its partnership with AJC’s Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs (BILLA) and the Latin American Federation of Jewish Youth, launching a new fellowship called “Antisemitism: Unmasking Myths & Creating Leaders” for young Jewish leaders from throughout Latin America, who will gather weekly over the course of three months to learn how to become strong Jewish advocates. We also launched a series of Latino-Jewish Shabbat dinners; the most recent brought together 60 Jewish and Latino student leaders in Washington, D.C., for an evening of learning, relationship-building, and action. This is all part of our continued work to connect and empower Jewish students and young leaders around the world.
As Jewish communities worldwide prepare for the holiday of Passover, the concept of freedom—academic and otherwise—is very much on our minds. AJC’s Center for Education Advocacy will continue to work to shape a new future for Jewish students everywhere, built upon the democratic values that are at the heart of our people and our nation. For more information on CEA’s activities, please go to AJC.org/CampusResources or sign up for communications at AJC.org/CEAUpdates. And don’t forget to reach out to Members of Congress to encourage them to take proactive steps to counter antisemitism on campus!
